Good Morning Mentors and Vets!
I'd really appreciate advice/ feedback on how to keep my career trajectory going in the right direction.
I've recently come to the realization I might need to pivot away from my current role in training & development and focus my efforts into a strictly HR role. After 3 jobs in 3 years and I think I’ve found my way forward.
Training is a great career path, but it does have a ceiling and I often find myself working on assignments outside the scope of my duties such as developing on-boarding programs, recruiting, and to a certain extent employee/ labor relations.
The biggest obstacle (as I see it) in making the leap from 20-ish years in the military in leadership roles and working with with military-focused HR issues to civilian HR is the "experience does not equate" conundrum many senior service members face when they transition out of the service. I have loads of relevant experience, just not the “right” experience that aligns with the industries I’m targeting (Hospitality/ Healthcare/ Education).
While my experience and background meshes well with my current organization,my dialogue with my manager and supervisor indicates that I'd be slotted for a training role if I chose to continue my career with my current employer. Don't get me wrong, training is a good career field, but it's not something I want to do for the rest of my career.
However, HR opportunities within my organization rarely open up. I fear since I'm just the wrong side of 40 and seeing that my organization is seeking younger talent I may have to look externally if I want to experience any sort of career growth.
My company sponsored mentor has been invaluable in helping me uncover my professional interest and translating the skills I used while in the service. I’ve also taken advantage of the educational and professional development opportunities my company provides and am part of the Syracuse VCTP cohort starting in June. I've considered applying to a Masters program but can't justify the time commitment or financial investment if the ROI is low.
I’ve been using a lot of the TTP (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures) prescribed by the group like joining professional associations, networking, setting up informational interviews, and having resumes reviewed, however I keep finding the same stumbling block – lack of “relevant experience” when i interview or silence when applying for positions.
What else should I be doing to help steer my career in the right direction?
Answers
Hi John,
Do you want to get into HR because you believe it's the only way to move "ahead" in your career or do you want to get into HR because you feel it's your passion and would let you focus more on what you love to do? I have held both HR positions and learning and development and there are plenty of opportunities to move up in both tracks. I agree with all the other comments about focusing on accomplishments. Here's what I would encourage you to reflect on:
HR roles: need to think of yourself as a strategic business partner, often doing more reactive work, uses a lot of problem solving, typically focused on employee relations, engagement, and change issues. Requires judgment, problem solving, consultative skills and objectivity.
L&D roles: focus on developing the talent in an organization - which can take many different forms. Uses creativity, coaching, planning, business acumen and consultative skills.
There are many senior L&D roles that are broader in scope -- oftentimes called "talent management" - which require broader, analytical thinking about human capital planning and development.
Make sure you are really clear about what skills you want to use, what impact you want to have. Then when you are interviewing for other HR or L&D roles, focus on the business impact you have had, not just the skills used to get there. Good luck and thank you for your service !
What is your educational level? Perhaps I missed your mention of it. You speak much about your experience but if you really want to advance you must show that you did not ignore formal education. I did note you mentioned concern about ROI and the burden of working for an MBA. What is the burden of not advancing your formal education? Figure that out. How many years are your planning to work, your age, and the expected possibilities for increased earning power, etc. Is it too much to ask of yourself and your family to attend evening college while working? I do not know "the facts". Perhaps so.
Is HR of itself necessarily a limited career? How about Vice President of HR for Microsoft or Exxon? Is that too limited?
Perhaps the Bard said it best:
"The fault dear Brutus lies not within our stars, but within ourselves".
Good luck.
I can't tell from your question so there's a little speculation here. Seeing your resume and LinkedIn Profile might help me clarify. The previous answer also has some great points, particularly when he points to be a change agent. Do you have "experience" on your resume -- and in your interview answers -- or do you present evidence of change. In my world, and in the article I've posted here, I talk about the absolute necessity of talking about accomplishments. It has to be accomplishments, measurable results -- not skils, not experiences!
Hi John, I'm not an HR expert, but as a former senior executive in a large public corporation, I worked extensively with the HR teams from the most senior executive through the manager level. I would work with these executives and their teams on four issues, but the last one is where I think your opportunity might be, while still supporting the other 3.
1) Talent Acquisition
2) Talent Development
3) Compliance, Legal etc.
4) Change Management
Today, the HR leaders are challenged to maintain the highest levels of support on the first three areas, while constantly anticipating and preparing the organization to evolve and change to the environment and market conditions. Every industry / business / organization is in a state of unprecedented change and needs leaders to act as CHANGE AGENTS and lead the teams to the next model, structure, process etc.
1) Implementing a new business process or software?
2) Need to downsize or reduce cost?
3) Customer demands changing?
4) New markets being entered?
These are just 4 of countless examples of where strong HR leaders are driving the business with the other senior leaders. Consider packaging yourself as a " total HR leader" who can run the HR division , or at a minimum, hold a senior role to lead all these areas--with an emphasis on BEING A CHANGE AGENT.
Target companies to go after and study their strategies and challenges and then position yourself as a solution to their problems. Obviously, there is a strategic way to do that, which can be another conversation.
Being a CHANGE AGENT is a combination of how you think as well as your experience. This way you bridge the challenge of the military vs civilian sector.
I have the utmost respect for HR organizations, their leaders and the teams . GOOD LUCK to you and thank you for your service
Best Regards, Mike
First of all, where were you last year while I was searching for a T&D Manager?? LOL
It can be difficult to convince a current employer to let you spread your wings and take on different responsibilities. Training & Development candidates, especially those who have solid HR experience, are hard to find, so maybe you're just working for the wrong company. My T&D Manager, btw, is expected to handle on boarding, recruiting, and all performance (mid and end-year appraisals, etc), and could get involved in employee relations, especially in instances where it's determined that it's a lack of T&D that led to the specific issues. I say this just to let you know that it sounds like you're doing exactly what you should be doing.
If you don't want to continue doing T&D, however, you need to focus on training yourself on the other facets of Human Resources. Become a subject matter expert in your field of choice and market yourself that way.
I know it can be frustrating to find that your experience doesn't translate - it won't from industry to industry at times, either.
Have you joined a career board like Career Builder? Don't limit your industry - you might be surprised at what you find. Good luck!
John, I believe you are on the right track by studying for the SPHR certification. I often advise Veterans about the differences between military HR and civilian HR. In the military, your HR activities and decisions are dictated by the UCMJ and some Federal laws. So there are issues in the military that are handled in differently than they would in the civilian workplace. When Veterans transition out of the military, they realize that civilian HR activities and decisions are based on the multitude of federal laws and acts that are in place; such as the ADA, EEO, FMLA, etc. A civilian employer relies on that SPHR, or other certifications, as a barometer of your knowledge, NOT YOUR EXPERIENCE. Once you earn your SPHR certification you will find that employers will look at you and your resume in a much better light because you are a certified Human Resource professional and not just a good training professional.
Thank you for all the feedback.
HR is my passion and a field that I excelled in while in the military. Though I wore many hats. H.R. was the one area I excelled in especially dealing with employee issues, mentoring, and providing my leadership with creative solutions to alleviate staffing issues due to unplanned losses and disciplinary terminations. Right now I’m in the process of helping my organizations HR department standup a Veterans resource group and helping the recruiting team with attracting military talent; an area where they have struggled in for years,
As far as continuing my education, I hold an undergraduate degree in Social Science and I am currently studying for the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification through the HR Certification Institute. My current work schedule isn’t conducive to attending school (10 hour days and a 3 hour round-trip commute) and will not be if I remain with my current employer.
It’s not that I don’t want to further my education, I don’t have time. I have a colleague who was working on his masters on-line and was absolutely miserable for 3 years, I meet him at the tail end of his program and could see how drained he was emotionally. Changing employers might help with work life balance, but that in itself comes with its own set of challenge. This has gone into my ROI calculation.
As for change management, I’ve definitely been involved in that, however I can’t easily define my experience. I saw it as doing my job, but know that when new systems, processes, or initiatives are rolled out someone has to facilitate those changes. I’ve done it for many years, but can’t find a succinct way to express that experience, since many projects I worked on kind of dovetailed into each out other.
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